Engine starter



April 29 1924. 7 1,491,836

M. P. WHITNEY ENGINE swu'zn File e 5. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 xfmrz/for I howls,

April 29 1924.

M. P. WHITNEY Hymns sunraa Filed Feb. :5; 1923 3 Shuts-Sheet s wmw Patented Apr. 1924.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAUBICE P. WHITNEY, ELMIBA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ECLIPSE MACHINE COMPANY, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0,1 NEW YORK.

ENGINE Application filed February T all whom it mayconcemt:

Be it known that I MAURICE. P. WHrr- NEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elmira, in the county of Chemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine Starters, of which. the following is a specification. a

' My invention relates to means for starting an engine such as an internal combustion engine and pertains more particularly to.

the drive or transmission which is located between a prime'mover such as an electric.

motor' and a member of the engine to be started such as the flywheel thereof. The

- object of my invention is to provide a novel and eflicient means for preventing anyundue strain upon or injury to the parts of the drive'in case the pinion is in mesh with.

the flywheel when the engine is rotating.

F the line 33 of F ig.- 2 in so farasthe fullline arrowsare concerned, and on the line .3'-3 of Fig. 5 in so far as the dotted-line arrows are concerned; Fig. 4 a sectional ele- 1 vation of the drive illustrating the condition at the timeof the beginning of backfire with the driving member or pinion in mesh with the flywheel, suchcondition being illustrated by the position of the parts and by the presence of the'arrows; Fig. 5 a sectional elevation of the drive showing the backfire condition by means of the position-of the parts i and by the presence of thearrows; and Fig.

'6 a section on the line 6-6 of Fig.2.

In the present instance, I have illustrated my invention in connection with the well v known. Bendix drivejof the so-called free pinion type which the driving member or pinion is made'in two parts, one the inion proper and the other the control mem er or nut, which latter is screw threaded upon the screw shaft, but it will be understood swan-rm a 1923. Serial No. 616,869.

that I have so embodied my invention for the sake of a clear and definite description, and that the same is applicable to drives 013 different types or forms.

In the particular embodiment of my invention as illustrated in the drawings the electric motor 1 has an extended armature shaft 2 on which is mounted a Bendix drive of said free pinion'type. This drive cooperates with means interposed between it and the engine member, here the flywheel, for the purpose of automatically disconnecting the riving member or pinion from-the flywheel in the event of backfire.

Describing the form of drive herein shown, such drive is detachably mounted upon the driving or armature shaft 2 whose outer end is. supported in a bearing in the casing 3. This casing, which here supports the motor, is secured to an enlargement 4 of the flywheel housing of the engine and encloses the drive except for an openin by which .the pinion 5 is exposed and perm tted to mesh with the flywheel 6 of the. engine.

Said enlargement 4 supports a shaft 7 hereinafter described. v

The drive comprises, besides said pinion 5, a hollow screw shaft 8 mounted as usual on the armature shaft 2 and driven there by through the driving head 9, drive spring 10, and drivenhead llof the screw shaft.

Upon the screw shaft there is mounted ,the drivingmember which is here in two parts, that is the pinion proper marked 5 and a control member or nut marked 12. The pinion which hasa smooth bore as shown in Fig. 5. is mounted loosely. upon the screw shaft, and, when moved longitudinally by the nut, it is adapted to operatively engage the flywheel by meshing with the teeth thereof. The not is threaded upon the screw shaft and is adapted to move longitudinally thereof and to rotate therewith. This nut is in the form of a disk whose outer face is adapted to contact and cooperate with the adjacent face of a disk lB, secured to or loo forming a part of the piniom A throw-out spring 14 is interposed between the pinion and a stop-nut 15 secured to the outer end of, the screw shaft; In practice a collar 16 is-interposed betweenthe. pinion and such spring, and theparts are so constructed and arranged that when the collar is in contact whose tension such with the stop-nut the spring, which becomes compressed, is contained within them.

The drive as thus far'described is one form of the well-known Bendix drive. For the purposes of the present invention, this drive is modified by providing the periphery of the nut with gear teeth 17 which coo crate with release means intermediate suc nut and the flywheel as hereinafter described.

Said release means which are mounted loosely upon thesupporting shaft 7.00mprise a pinion 18, a gear 19 and an intermediate onyE-way clutch, together with a throwout sprin' 20 interposed between such pinion 18 and t e bearing 21 in the enlargement 4 of the flywheel housin This clutch, which may partake of any esired or suitable form, here com rises a hub extension 22 of the pinion 18 an a disk 23 keyed to such extension by means of a key 24. This disk is provided on its periphery with recesses in which are located the rolls 25 backed u by the springs 26. This clutch permits 0 the rotation of the pinion and gear in opposite directions as illustrated in ig. 2 but when the pinion 18 is the driver it drivingly rotates its gear 19.

Describing a cycle of operation under normal or ordinary conditions, that is, without any backfire condition, when the electric motor is operated the nut 12 will be advanced longitudinally along the screw shaft, carrying the pinion 5 into mesh with the flywheel gear. At the same time the outer or forward face of'the nut will contact the disk; or shroud 27 of the gear 19 and will thereby move the same together with the pinion 18 to the right so that such pinion 18 will mesh with the flywheel gear. The relative position of the different movable parts together with the direction of rotation thereof is illustrated in Fig. 2. This is the cranking condition with the result that the flywheel will be rotated and the engine will be cranked. When the engine starts on its own power the pinion 5 will be given an excess speed of rotation by the fl wheel, thereby screwing the nut backward y towards nor mal position and permitting a demeshing of the pinion, which is facilitated by means of the throwout spring 14. At the same time the pinion 18 will be demeshed from the flywheel by means of the spring 20 against pinion 18 was brought into mesh with the flywheel. The parts then assume their normal position as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Occasionally'an engine will rotate back.- wardly while in the process of. being cranked. This may be caused by advance spark setting, impro r timing or the stopping of the engine ring if the engine has given one or two explosions'in which event the engine may rock backwardly. The meshing of the pinion of a drive when the flywheel is rotating backwardly draws the the direction of rotation of such pinion into mesh and places an undue strain upon the parts of the drive due to excess loads.

Referring to Fi .4 and 5, and the flywheel is rotating ackwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow and the pinion 5 has been drawn into the mesh position indicated by the action of the screw shaft and the flywheel. The relative position of the movable parts at the beginning of the back fire condition is shown in Fig. 4, in which the directions of rotation of .such parts are indicated by the arrows applied thereto, shown in Fig. 4. Further movement of the nut 12 and pinion 5 to the right will also carry the pinion 18 to the right until its teeth contact those of the flywheel ear as shown in Fig. 5, in which the change directions of rotation of the movable parts are indicated by arrows. Thus, as soon as the teeth of the pinion 18 contact the flywheel inion 18 and its gear 19 will be reversed. T e pinion 18 will thereupon drive the disk 23 and,

through the rolls 25, the overrunning clutch gear 19 in the direction indicated by the dotted arrows in Fig. 3. This direction of rotation is then transmitted to the control nut 12 which will then rotate as shown by its arrow in Fig. 5 and the same will then be screwed back along the screw shaft towards its normal position. The pinion 5 will then follow in the usual manner until out of mesh with the flywheel gear. As a result the pinion 5 has been automatically disengaged from the flywheel 'because of the backward rotation of such flywheel due to backfiring. It is immaterial whether the pinion 5 thus becomes demeshed or not inasmuch as the control nut 12 has been screwed backwardly by said release means and prevented from establishing any driving connection through such pinion.

In case of backfiring of the engine, during the process of cranking, that is, with bot pinions 5 and 18 in mesh with theflywheel, the operation of the release means and the consequent disconnecting the drive from the flywheel will be the same as above described. It is obvious that it is immaterial whether the pinion 5 is demeshed or not, inasmuch as the enforced backward movement of the control nut 12 by said release means disestablishes the driving connection between such nut and the pinion 5.

I claim:

1. An engine starter includin a member of the engine to be starte a drive, adapted to eng e and drive such engine member, and re ease means arran ed between such engine member and drive and including two rotary elements adapted to be drivingly connected, one of these elements coo rat with the engine member and the 0 er wit the drive.-

2. An engine starter including a member off the engine to be started, a drive ada ted other with the drive.

3. An engine starter including a member ofthe engine to be started, a rotatable shaft, and a drive operatively connectin between the engine member and shaft an including a driving, member normally out of engagement with the engine member but adaptedto engage and driveit, and an iritermediate member between the engine member and driving member, comprising two 1 rotary elements and an overrunning clutch between them, one of these elements cooperating withthe engine member and the other with the driving member.

4. An engine starter including a member of the engine to be started, a rotatable shaft and a drive operativel connecting between a the engine member an shaft and including a driving member normally out of engagement with the en ine member to engage and drive it, such driving member comprising a driving member proper loosely mounted on the shaft and a control member mounted on such shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, and an intermediate member between the engine member and the j control member comprising two rotary elements adapted to be drivingly one of these elements coo eratin en ine member/and the ot er wit tro member. I u L.

5. Anengine starter including a member of the engine to be started, a rotatable shaft, and a drive operatively connectin between the engine member and shaft an including a driving member normally out of engagement with the engine member but adapted to engage and drive it, such drivlng member comprising a driving member proper loosely mounted on the shaft and a control member mounted on such-shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and r0- tary movement therewith, and an intermediate member, between the engine member and the control member comprising two rotary elements and an overrunning clutch between them," one of these elements coo erating with the engine member and t e other with the control member, said intermediatemember bein normally disengaged from but adapted to. placed into engagement with the engine member by the longiconnected, with the the contudinal movement of the control member-.

6. An engine starter including ,a member of the engine to be started a rotatable shaft, and a drive operatively connectin between the enginemember and shaft an but adaptedincluding. a driving member normallyvout of-engagement with the engine member but adapted to engage and drive it, such driving member. comprising a driving member proper loosely mounted on the shaft and a control member mounted on such shaft for fongitudinal movement thereofand ro tary movement therewith, and an interme,

diate member between the engine member and the control member comprlsing two rotary elements andan overrunning clutch between them, one of these elements cooperating with the engine member and the other with the control member, said intermediate member being mounted to move longitudinally on an axis parallel with the axis of said shaft. J

7. An engine starter including a member of the engine to bestarted, a rotatable shaft, and a drive operatively connecting between the engine member and shaft and including a drivln member normally out of engagement wit the engine member but adapted to engage and drive it, such driving. member comprising a driving member proper loosely mounted on the shaft and a control inembermounted on such shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, and an intermediate member between the engine. member and the control member comprising two rotary elements and an overrunning clutch between them, one of these elements cooperating with the engine member and the other with the control member, said intermediate member being nor' mally held disengaged from the. engine member with a yieldmg'pressure but adapted to be placed into engagement with such engine member by the longitudinal movement of the control member.

,8. An engine starter including a member of the engine to be started, a rotatable shaft,

and a drive operatively connecting between the enginemember and shaft and including a driving member normally out of'engage- -ment with the engine member bu't'adapted to engage and drive it, such driving member comprislng a drivin member proper loosely mounted on the sha t and a control member mounted on such shaft for lon itudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, and an intermediate member between the engine member and the control membercomprising two rotary elements and an overrunning clutch between them, one. of these elements coo erating with the engine member and the ot er with the control member, and a second shaft which is parallel to said first named shaft and on which said rotary elements are mounted to slide longitudinally. I v

9. 'An engine starter including a member of the engine to be started, a rotatable shaft,

and a drive operatively connecting between the engine member and shaft and including a driving member normally out of engagement with the engine member but adapted to engage and drive it, such driving member comprising a driving member 'proper loosely mounted on the shaft and a control member mounted on such shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, and an intermediate member between the engine member and the control member comprising two rotary elements and an over-running clutch between them, one of these elements cooperating with the engine member and the other with the control member, a second shaft which is parallel to said first named shaft and on which said rotary elements are mounted to slide longitudinally, and a spring on said shaft to hold the inter mediate member away from the engine member.

10. An engine starter including a member of the engine to be started, a rotatable shaft, and a drive operatively connected between the engine member and shaft and including a driving member normally out of engagement with the engine member butadapted to engage and drive it, such driving member comprising a driving member proper loosely mounted on the shaft and a control member mounted on such shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, and an intermediate member be tween the engine member and the control member comprising two pinions and an overrnnning clutch between them, said pinions being mounted to move longitudinally on an axis parallel with the axis of said shaft, one of said pinions being adapted to cooperate with the engine member and the 4 other with the control member.

11. An engine starter including a member of the engine to be started, a rotatable shaft, and a drive operatively connected between the engine member and shaft and including a driving member normally out of engage ment with the engine member but adapted to engage and drive it, such driving member comprising a driving member proper loosely mounted on the shaft and a control member mounted on such shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, and an intermediate member be tween the engine member and the control member comprising two pinions and an overrunning clutch between them, said pinions being mounted to move longitudinally on an axis parallel with the axis of said shaft, one of said pinions being adapted to cooperate with the engine member and the other with the control member, a spring tending to hold said pinion'from cooperation with the engine member and a spring tending to hold the driving-member proper from engagementwith the engine member. 12. An engine starter including a gear on the engine to be started, a driving shaft,

into engagement with said gear, said nut having gear teeth on its periphery, and an intermediate member between the engine gear and the driving member comprising two pinions and an overrunning clutch connecting between the pinions, one of these two pinions being adapted to mesh with the engine gear and the other with the nut.

13. An engine starter including a gear on the engine to be started, a driving shaft, and a drive operatively connecting between such gear and shaft, and including a rotatable screw shaft, 9. driving member comprising a pinion loosely mounted on the screw shaft and a nut threaded on the screw shaft and cooperating with the pinion to move it into engagement with said gear, said nut having gear teeth on its periphery, and an intermediate member between the engine gear and the driving member comprising two pinions and an overrunning clutch connectlng between the pinions, one of these two pinions being adapted to mesh with the engine gear and the other with the nut and a shaft on which said two pinions are mounted for longitudinal and rotary movements.

14. An engine starter including a gear on the engine to be started, a driving shaft, and a drive 0 eratively connecting between such gear and shaft and including a rotatable screw shaft, 9. driving member comprising a pinion loosely mounted on the screw shaft and a nut threaded on the screw shaft and co-operating with the pinion to move it into engagement with said gear, said nut having gear teeth on its periphery, and an intermediate member between the engine gear and the driving member comprising two pinions and an overrunning clutch connecting cooperating with the pinion to move it into engagement with said gear, said nut having gear teeth on its riphery, and an intermediate member tween the engine gear and the driving member comprising two pinions and an overrunning clutch connecting between the pinions,.one of them two pinions being adapted to mesh with the engine gear and the other with the nut, one of said two pinions having a projection adapted to be enga ed by the nut and thereby moved longitu inally by the longitudinal movement of such nut.

16. An engine starter including a gear on the engine to be started, a driving shaft, and a drive operatively connecting between such gear and shaft, and including a rotatable screw shaft, a driving member comprising a pinion loosely mounted on the screw shaft and a nut threaded on the screw shaft and cooperating with the pinion to move it into engagement with said gear, said nut having gear teeth on its periphery, and an intermediate member between the engine gear and the driving member comprising two pinions and an overrunning clutch connecting between the pinions, one of these two pin ions being adapted to mesh with the engine gear and the other with the nut, one of said two pinions havin a gear shroud adapted to beengaged by t e nut in its longitudinal movement towards the engine gear and to be thereby moved longitudinally, whereupon the other of said two pinions is placed in mesh with the engine gear.

17. An engine starter including a gear on the engine to be started, a driving shaft, and a drive operatively connecting between such gear and shaft, andincluding a rotatable screwshaft, a driving member comprising a pinion loosely mounted on the screw shaft and a nut threaded on the screw shaft and cooperating with the pinion to move it into engagement with said gear, said nut having gear teeth on its periphery, and the driving member comprising two pinions and an overrunning clutch connecting between the pin- MAURICE P. WHITNEY. 

